Another transaction in the Spanish hotel sector has a foreign buyer. Barceló has sold the Hotel Barceló Santiago (in Tenerife) to the Chinese group Chongqing Kangde Industrial. Negotiations began in 2013, when Barceló and Kangde signed a framework agreement to explore options together.

After more than a year of meetings, the Spanish tourism group agreed the sale of the property to Kangde. According to the Chinese group’s website, the alliance was signed during Lu Chaokang’s tour of Europe in search of investment opportunities. Chaokang, the Chairman of Kangde, visited a dozen projects in Budapest, Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.

Consideration of €50 million

The sale, which amounted to around €50 million, has not been formalised yet, as the buyer is still waiting to receive approval (of the purchase) from the Chinese government. The deadline for obtaining the backing ends in May. Nevertheless, according to industry sources, Barceló has already received confirmation that the transaction will close on time.

The Spanish chain will continue to manage the four-star hotel, which has 406 rooms and is located close to the Playa de los Gigantes. However, Kangde may be interested in renovating the property and increasing its (star) rating. In 2006, Barceló invested €7 million in the refurbishment of Hotel Santiago, which entered its portfolio in 1995. The sale of the hotel forms part of the process designed by Barceló to reduce its exposure to real estate, which has reached a historic high – (it owns) almost 63% of all of its rooms. The major milestone on this roadmap has been the creation of the Socimi, Bay, together with Hispania. Barceló will transfer 16 hotels and two shopping centres worth €421 million to the Socimi and whereby reduce the percentage of rooms it owns to 43%.

In 2014, Barceló recorded a profit of €46.4 million, up 85.6% on the previous year and a turnover of €2,056.6 million.